"I'm not--" Orphaned, she wants to say, except technically, she is. But orphaned sounds like Oliver Twist. It's not my parents are dead, but my sister and our group are alive. Beth shakes her head. "I think I gave you the wrong idea. I'm not going to do anything stupid."
She knows better than to trust that everyone here has her best interests at heart. Even if she hadn't just come from a hospital that was more like a prison, she would've been disabused of the notion as soon as they were shown to their tent. As long as they're outsiders to the Barrayarans, the number of people that they can rely on--that she can rely on--is going to be low.
But she's been in worse places than this camp, and she's seen (and done, a little voice reminds her) worse things. As well-meant as the speech she's being given seems to be, Beth's still not clear on how coming from a decent family and knowing how to sing is going to keep her safe. Or why it has to, for that matter. She'd be a lot happier to protect herself with a knife.
no subject
She knows better than to trust that everyone here has her best interests at heart. Even if she hadn't just come from a hospital that was more like a prison, she would've been disabused of the notion as soon as they were shown to their tent. As long as they're outsiders to the Barrayarans, the number of people that they can rely on--that she can rely on--is going to be low.
But she's been in worse places than this camp, and she's seen (and done, a little voice reminds her) worse things. As well-meant as the speech she's being given seems to be, Beth's still not clear on how coming from a decent family and knowing how to sing is going to keep her safe. Or why it has to, for that matter. She'd be a lot happier to protect herself with a knife.